A month traveling with friends July 2022

18 comments

1. I’ll add some more tips later, but this will do for now.

   **General tips:**

   A month is a long time to travel with friends and there will be times when you are sick of them – or they sick of you. Make sure to leave some breathing space in your programme and that people can have some alone time. Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka are all great for solo activities.

   Rail pass: Travelling alone ticket by ticket isn’t difficult, but it might be simpler to use rail pass when travelling in a group. Especially if you don’t speak any Japanese.

   If possible, try to learn to read basic japanese (hiragana/katakana). You will be fine without, but it will certainly make things easier.

   July is very hot and humid, so be careful. Especially if some in your group are in better physical shape than others it would be wise to take it easy the first couple of days until you acclimatise. The humidity makes Japan heat a different kind than Syden heat! I would even recommend adding an extra day(or two!) in both Nagasaki and Hiroshima as both places have a lot to offer. Better to stay a bit longer than regretting leaving too soon, in my opinion.

   Pretty much every hotel will have coin laundry/washing machines available.

   You don’t need to bring umbrellas – you can borrow from your hotel or buy at convenience stores.

   It’s okay to show up at festivals – noone will mind.

   ​

   **Nagasaki:**

   Be sure to check out the night view from Mt. Inasayama.

   Dejima is cool.

   I would also strongly recommend the A-bomb museums in both Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Yes, both of them. Contrast and compare – I promise it will be interesting

   **Hiroshima:**

   I’m not familiar with any Okunoin island, but Itsukushima is a must when in Hiroshima.

   If you are interested in sake there are several (maybe five-six?) breweries in Saijo (30min from central Hiroshima) you can walk from brewery to brewery and taste their sake.

   Himeji castle is en-route between Hiroshima and Osaka and is 10 times better than Osaka castle.

   Onomichi town is very nice as a daytrip from Hiroshima.

   Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is delicious. Try it with jalapenos if available.

   Do NOT buy the maple-leaf shaped cakes as souvenirs. The cakes are delicious, but will spoil in the summer heat before you get home. Buy and eat straight away.

   **Kyoto:**

   Sanjyusangendo is cool and en-route between Kyoto station and Kiyomizudera.

   **Tokyo:**

   If you are not already sick of temples, consider day trips to Nikko or Kamakura.

   Yokohama is also a great day trip.

   *Norwegian exclusive:* Check out Vaner in Yanaka or Fuglen in Asakusa for a Japanese interpretation of Norwegian baked goods. There is also ØL in Shibuya if you care for a different taste of home

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3. In July, Kyoto hosts the month-long Gion Festival.
   In 2020 and 2021, due to covid-19, the Gion Festival was not open to the public.
   If the Gion Festival does take place, the city of Kyoto will be very busy both day and night.

   The festival is organised by Yasaka Shrine and its website is

   [https://www.yasaka-jinja.or.jp/en/gion_fes/](https://www.yasaka-jinja.or.jp/en/gion_fes/).

   The climax of the Gion Festival is the parade of floats, known as yama and hoko, through the downtown area of Kyoto.This is called the Yamahoko Junko and takes place on the 17th and 24th of July.You can see a lot of Geiko and Maiko during the Yamaboko Junko.

   Next year, covid-19 will still have an impact, but please keep the Gion Festival in mind.

4. It has been over a decade so I may be out of date but, have you considered that some JR passes include: Shinkansen travel, subway/light-rail travel, and bus travel? When I last visited all these features outweighed the cost of paying for each individual ticket; particularly when one assumes one might make a mistake and end up where they didn’t intend.

5. What a fantastic trip! Hope you have s great time. If you’re going to Akihabara you might want a subscription to Maid S. Runner. Have fun!

6. Things to bring:

   Get an umbrella in Japan— cheap and easy to find and if/when it inevitably breaks, so what?

   Comfortable summer shoes that you can wear socks with— you might be taking your shoes on and off a lot (and going barefoot or in slippers) for various places and I find going totally barefoot kinda gross in summer.

   A summer hat. There’s something about the Japanese summer heat that makes me want a hat— even though I rarely wear one in my sunny home country.

   A small bag for carrying just the essentials. If you carry a larger “handbag” all the time it might get heavy, and you can often put your backpack in a coin locker at the train station, museum, etc so then you just carry a little lightweight bag for that day/couple of hours.

   A wallet that can handle lots of coins or a little coin purse. You will get a lot of coins.

   A small hand towel for washing hands at public restrooms, but you can also buy those in Japan and are fun souvenirs!

   In general, lightweight and breezy clothing. Summer weather is ROUGH, but people generally remain “covered.” As a woman I wear a lot of loose, lightweight cotton or linen, but still with sleeves.

7. For local travel, not shinkansen , I recommend just getting a PASMO. It’s so inconvenient to have to buy ticket after ticket each day especially if you don’t completely understand the system. Also you get the 5 dollar deposit back if you return the card when you leave.

8. Bro I’m gonna tell you Norway to Japan might be rough in July, it’s REAL humid and hot and rainy but if you’re good with that have a blast!

9. Mid-late July in particular is a MASSIVE festival season in Kansai–Including the Gion Festival (all of July, with the biggest events from the 15th-17th, and other large events from the 22nd-24th), Tenjin Festival (24th-25th–especially the 25th) Motomiya Festival (21st-22nd), and Mitarashi Festival (last 10 or so days of July). I also highly recommend Kobo-san at Toji on the 21st and/or Tenjin-san at Kitanotenmangu on the 25th, though I wouldn’t sacrifice going to the Tenjin Festival just to go to Tenjin-san Market.

   That said, these festivals are among the ***ONLY*** good reasons I come up with to suffer through the heat of summer if going at another time of year is feasible. If you’re not really planning to enjoy such festivals to their fullest, I would strongly recommend picking another time of year (mid-November to early-December or mid-February to mid-April are my top recommendations). Also keep in mind that attending festivals takes time away from doing other things. Typically I would recommend roughly at least a full week just for a quick run-through of the highlights of Kansai (Kyoto/Osaka/Kobe/Nara/Himeji area), but given the sweltering heat of the late summer and the extra time needed for festivals, I would give it 10 full days or more if you’re going around this time (again, just as a starting point).

   >Nagasaki

   Not allocating time to actually see Nagasaki itself while you’re there is really a shame. It’s one of the coolest smaller cities in Japan and just seeing a few sights around town could easily eat up a day. Having said that, going all the way down to Nagasaki and then basically skipping everything else between there and Osaka (with the exception of Hiroshima) seems like a questionable use of time. I’m not really a fan of itineraries that cover large distances just to see one thing. There are so many really cool things along the route that you’re skipping.

   >Hiroshima

   I assume you mean Itsukushima/Miyajima, not Okunoin.

   >Osaka

   Skip Osaka Castle. Do Himeji Castle (and its gardens, which are among the best in the country and practically free if you buy the combined ticket) instead on the way to Osaka from Hiroshima (also doable as a day trip from Osaka/Kyoto). I would also suggest adding Tenjinbashisuji and Kuromon while in Osaka.

   >Nara

   Add Nigatsu-do and Kasuaga Taisha. If you have time (perhaps with an extra day or a very early start), there are loads of things outside the Nara Park area that are also worth seeing in Nara, including Toshodai-ji, Yakushi-ji, Horyu-ji, and Heijo-kyo. Nara can also be a fun area to cycle around (though Nara Park specifically is not so great for cycling because of all the pedestrians and deer).

   >Kyoto

   For my general recommendations about arranging major sights in Kyoto, see [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/5wgxa1/best_way_to_group_these_sites_in_kyoto/dea059y/?context=3). This is not meant to be exhaustive or treated as a check list, but it should give some rough idea of how the sights can be arranged geographically.

   I strongly advise not relying on public transit too much in Kyoto. That’s not to say that you can’t or shouldn’t use it, but I really think taking the bus everywhere can make the experience miserable. Moreover, a ton of Kyoto’s charm is in the smaller things located between the major sights, and if you take transit all over, you kind of end up missing what makes the city magical. Because of this, I recommend breaking the city into chunks and focusing on things you can do on foot or bicycle as much as possible. Also, with 4 people you should be able to get by without using the bus even in situations where you might otherwise use one. For shorter trips, a taxi fare divided by 4 will generally end up being similar in cost to an individual bus fare.

   >Hida – Kanazawa

   When you say Hida, I assume you’re talking about Takayama (or perhaps Hida-Furukawa?). In any case, taking the train from that area to Kanazawa doesn’t make a whole lot of sense (unless you’re doing it just for the scenic view). It would make a lot more sense to me to take the the bus from Takayama to Shirakawa-go, spend a few hours up to most of a day there, then take the bus from there to Kanazawa.

   If you have the energy I also highly recommend waking up super early to go to the early admission to Kenroku-en. It’s free, the dawn light is gorgeous, and you’ll have the place practically to yourselves.

   >We have checked with a Rail pass calculator that found it best to buy ticket for ticket, is this easily done or should we go for a rail pass for just the ease of use?

   The only advantage of the JR Pass is the cost (assuming it’s actually cheaper). If it’s not saving money, you’re not missing out on anything. In fact, I would argue that in many ways IC cards are more convenient, but don’t use paper tickets except for the Shinkansen if you can avoid it.

   >In the AirBNBs we have washers, but how easy is it to wash when booked into hotels, is it normal for them to offer services to washcloths?

   Depends on the hotel. Most low-mid range hotels (e.g. business hotels) have coin laundry. Very cheap hotels might not have on-site laundry, and higher-end hotels will usually have a laundry service.

   >Are there some essentials that we must remember to bring along? We are From Norway, so used to cold wheater, etc. but we are traveling to Japan in the summertime. Umbrellas?

   My first advice would be (as stated above)–don’t go during summer at all unless you’re doing it specifically for the festivals or some other specific event or activity. It is miserable–particularly in the parts of the country that you’ll be going (except maybe Hida/Takayama). It’s not nearly as unbearable as places like Cambodia, but it can get very uncomfortable and there’s a good chance you’ll end up doing less per day than you would otherwise be able to (perhaps a lot less).

   Umbrellas are treated like a quasi-disposable commodity in Japan. You’ll likely need one at some point, but they’re cheap and sold everywhere.

   >Is it ok for tourists to just show up at festivals?

   Yes.

   >We manage to find that there was a firework festival day before leaving, so we wanna check it out. Any tips or tricks around that?

   My biggest advise would be to focus more on the historical/cultural festivals and not so much on the fireworks festivals. The former are something that you can really only experience in Japan, and some of them have fireworks too (e.g., the Tenjin Festival).

   >Well, any other tips or tricks you might have for first-time visitors would all be greatly appreciated!

   I would consider rearranging your itinerary to make events fit more neatly into your schedule while not increasing travel time, as well as possibly cutting Nagasaki and adding something(s) in its place that is more conveniently located.

10. Other people have given great input already, all I can say, being from middle Europe myself, is that July, especially towards the end, is starting to be hell weather-wise.
    For the love of God, bring good deodorant and expect to be suffoctingly sweating whenever you’re outside of air-conditioned places. Granted, August and September are even worse than July, but I wouldn’t want to leave the house in July either.
    It’s probably a good idea though to go from south to north as you planned. Might save you a few degrees if you’re lucky.

11. Nagasaki: While Gunkanjima (Hashima) is worth visiting as UNESCO World Heritage site (although frankly to have full experience you would need a good, working knowledge of Japanese) – otherwise it’s worth more to explore town than outlying islands since Nagasaki has plenty of sights to visit (from Atomic Bomb sites to Glover Garden, Dejima, Sofukuji, Chinatown and Inasa-yama).

    Kyoto: Iwatayama Monkey Park is in Arashiyama

    Minobu: This is actually strange choice for a *shukubo* stay since it would make more sense to arrange one in Kyoto or if you are going for historically important temples in rural Japan, then Koya-san or Eihei-ji would probably make more sense. Kanazawa to Minobu requires ~5 hours of travel and multiple transfers.

    Also aside from very obvious issues with humidity and heat, you will go back to Tokyo for Disney parks at the exact moment where summer school holidays start. Also note that Sumida River Fireworks or any other major fireworks in a major Japanese city mean virtually millions of people on the streets. If you are trying for summer festival + fireworks, places like Hakodate would be a better choice (or just going to major regional festivals in northern Japan like Akita Kanto or Aomori Nebuta Matsuri.

12. In Tokyo I would definitely recommend the Go kart experience.
    It’s awesome driving around the city

13. I see your schedule and am reminded of my own personal Mistake I made with Hiroshima. I’d say spend a bit more time there since its really a gorgeous city that I regret hurrying through but since you’ve already acquired all of your lodgings then I agree with your plan to leave Nagasaki early to get there sooner. I suggest finding the earliest train possible and if where you are staying wont hold onto your luggage before check-in then just slip them into some lockers at Hiroshima station. Hit up memorials and museums your first day since its nice to go through them at your own pace instead of trying to squeeze both the memorials AND the Island on the same day. Also check out Hondori Street, it was a lot of fun when I went.

14. While near Hiroshima I suggest spending the night on Itsukushima Island (Miyajima) at one of their many ryokan inns. This is something you can only do in Japan and it would be a shame not to spend at least one night at a ryokan.

    Do not worry about bringing an umbrella unless you have a nice folding one already. Instead, just buy one in Japan and keep it with you. Some hotels also have loaners that you can use for the day.

    I have never heard of Okunoin Island near Hiroshima though there are tons of small islands in the Seto Inland Sea and one of them might be Okunoin. There is an Okunoin Cemetery on Mt Koya (Koyasan) that is very interesting especially if you join one of their night tours led by a local monk. You can also spend the night at one of their shukubo temple accommodations and enjoy shojin ryori dinner and breakfast.

    My wife and I had our first dates on the Sagano Scenic Railway and we have been married for 25 years so that is a nice idea.

15. Is japan open for tourists this 2022

16. Hi! Maybe I’m late, maybe not, hopefully useful.

    A couple of things: try to take deodorants that dont smell strong, it is frowned upon, if its strong, its rude. And you are going to need it, a lot. As uni students, yeah, your timeslot is limited, and unlucky.

    Everyone has different preferences, but for us… well, we had it with temples and shrines after two weeks. Honestly, no matter how great a temple is, when you have seen another hundred masterpieces in two days before. Try a variety of things, but expect that later during the trip, you are going to wish for more of other things. (For us, this hit in Kyoto, and to me it seems you are going to get it about there, too.)

    A couple of things:

    Hiroshima and Osaka are quite different from the rest of the big cities. We did not account for that when planning, and want to go back to these places, because we we busy doing sidetrips. With that said, I dont regret it – for Hiroshima: Miyajima was one highlight for me (natural, the cultural being the Takayama autumn festival, but that is sadly outside your timeframe) and we will go back for a longer time to relax. Climb to the top and enjoy the sunset up there. For Osaka: loved Nara, and Koyasan was great, cant really decide which one to recommend more.

    ​

    Also, others mentioned, but to make sure: if you mean Takayama by hida, then taking the bus through Sirakawa-go (and stopping there, dont miss out on it, it is world heritage for a great reason) is a lot better, than going around by train, even if you have a train pass like we did.

    Regarding train pass: there are good calculators on the net, if they are worth it. For us, it was quite helpful, when a typhoon came and all trains were cancelled from Nagano to Kanazawa, and we had to travel through Nagoya to get to our stay for the night. I bet those extra kms would have been expensive, especially since we had 2 mins to get everything done and get on the last train.

    If you have specific questions, I have been to most cities on your list, reply with your questions and I will try to answer. (Havent been to Nagasaki, too far.)

    Also: there are great overnight ferries between some locations, maybe use that for a long trip in the beginning or end – then you can also get a shorter rail pass and spare lodging for one night. Check this map for example, no need to get a ferry pass, just for ideas: [Ferry pass map](http://www.jlc-ferry.jp/en/images/map-en20210627.png)

17. Did you find a single airbnb for 4 ppl?

    My first solo Japan trip I booked ones with a washer in order to do laundry and dry on a rack. This worked for me, With 4 you’d need to spread the work over several days/nights.

    My second trip was in hotels, and I found Japanese laundromats to be a better solution. They have machines that are start to finish, add soap, then wash, then dry.

    You have a nice city list and potential sites. I’d choose each day’s activity according to how you feel and the weather. And don’t feel it necessary for all 4 to do the same things every day together.

    I personally like to have coffee first thing when I wake up, and Japanese hotels and airbnbs typically lack coffee makers. So I buy bottled coffee the night before and heat it in microwave, so I don’t have to get dressed and go out first. I also often had a cup noodle for breakfast for the same reason. There’s always a hot water pot.

18. Are your friends Japanese citizens? I’m under the assumption the border is still closed for foreigners to travel?